[VIDEO] Franklin Pierce – 14th President of the United States of America

View Full

Presidents of the United States Playlist

View Full

Presidents of the United States Playlist

Franklin Pierce
14th President – Term: 1853-1857

[VIDEO] Franklin Pierce – 14th President of the United States of America

Learn more about the 13th President of the United States, Milliard Fillmore. This video quickly covers his background, rise to the presidency, and little-discussed facts about the Commander in Chief.

Transcription:

Franklin Pierce, a president marked by personal tragedy and political turmoil.

Born into a politically vibrant family in Hillsborough, New Hampshire, he was steered into politics by his father, a Revolutionary War hero and governor. His journey through the New Hampshire legislature to the U.S. House and Senate was fueled by a charismatic persona and a staunch advocacy for states’ rights, aligning him closely with the Democratic Party.

His tenure in the White House is largely defined by his support of the Kansas-Nebraska Act. This legislation, which allowed territories to decide the legality of slavery through popular sovereignty, ignited violent conflicts in Kansas and drew fierce criticism, overshadowing his efforts to expand American interests abroad.

Pierce’s presidency also witnessed an unusual incident where he was arrested for accidentally running over a woman with his horse, though charges were later dismissed. Behind the political controversies, Pierce was a man grappling with profound personal losses, including the death of all three sons, the last of whom died tragically just before his inauguration, casting a long shadow over his and his wife’s spirits.

Franklin Pierce: A president whose personal grief and controversial policies shape a complex legacy.